'Six sixes' cricket ball to exceed $31,681 at Bonhams in May

The cricket ball that Garfield Sobers used to hit six sixes is to be auctioned at Bonhams in May

A cricket ball that featured in the legendary 1968 Nottinghamshire vs. Glamorgan match is expected to exceed 20,000 at auction on May 29, 2012.

One of the balls used in the historic game

The ball was used in the match that saw Nottinghamshire captain Garfield Sobers hit six sixes in one over, securing his team not only the match but winning Sobers a bet and a case of champagne. This match, which is well known by cricket lovers has gone down in history and saw Garfield knighted in 1975 for his services to the game. It was the first time a score of 36 had been achieved in cricketing history.

There was more than one ball used in the match and it is not yet clear which ball Bonhams has for sale. Despite the lack of provenance, the item is expected to exceed its estimate. The Slazenger bat that Sobers used in the historic game sold at Christies for more than 54,000 in Melbourne 12 years ago.

The unlucky bowler Malcolm Nash told The Guardian, "The captain asked me if I fancied having a go at bowling some slow-left armers, Sobers came along and quickly ended my slow-bowling career. It was a pretty short experiment."Following his record-breaking over, Sobers declared and left the field to ecstatic applause from an elated crowd. The ball will feature in Bonhams Sporting and Golf Memorabilia sale in Chester. Paul Fraser Collectibles offers a range of sporting memorabilia, including this menu signed by the 1966 England World Cup squad.